The Goal Of Maximizing The Welfare Of

Human Decision-making Is Complex. On Our Own, Our Tendency To Yield To Short-term Temptations, And Even To Addictions, May Be Too Strong For Our Rational, Long-term Planning.

I Do Not Believe That It Could Never Be Justifiable To Experiment On A Brain-damaged Human.

Suppose I Grant That Pigs And Dogs Are Self-aware To Some Degree, And Do Have Thoughts About Things In The Future. That Would Provide Some Reason For Thinking It Intrinsically Wrong To Kill Them - Not Absolutely Wrong, But Perhaps Quite A Serious Wrong. Still, There Are Other Animals - Chickens Maybe, Or Fish - Who Can Feel Pain But Don't Have Any Self-awareness Or Capacity For Thinking About The Future. For Those Animals, You Haven't Given Me Any Reason Why Painless Killing Would Be Wrong, If Other Animals Take Their Place And Lead An Equally Good Life.

The Hope Of Internet Anarchists Was That Repressive Governments Would Have Only Two Options: Accept The Internet With Its Limitless Possibilities Of Spreading Information, Or Restrict Internet Access To The Ruling Elite And Turn Your Back On The 21st Century, As North Korea Has Done.

Becoming A Vegetarian Is Not Merely A Symbolic Gesture. Nor Is It An Attempt To Isolate Oneself From The Ugly Realities Of The World, To Keep Oneself Pure And So Without Responsibility For The Cruelty And Carnage All Around. Becoming A Vegetarian Is A Highly Practical And Effective Step One Can Take Toward Ending Both The Killing Of Nonhuman Animals And The Infliction Of Suffering On Them.